Wine & Heritage in Cathar Country, our destination is situated in the south of France, in the Languedoc Roussillon region, in the heart of the Cathar Country.

A region inviting to do some gentle roaming ... On foot, by bike, in a Citroën 2CV or accompanied by a mule: discover the vineyards thanks to the many marked hiking paths.

On display is a rich and varied countryside, made up of plains, hillsides, secret coombs, ...

A sea of vineyards stretches out as far as you can see, slowly building up till it reaches the hillsides, where pine woods and scrubland (garrigue) hide away, swept by the winds.

The local geography has spawned two quality wine varieties: the Minervois and the Corbières. To the south, the Fitou has managed to establish a solid reputation in the rich Hautes Corbières massif.

It is in this part of the region that two PGI’s can be found: the vallée du Torgan and the poetic Vallée du Paradis…

Meet and chat with wine-growers

Wine & Heritage in Cathar Country means you’ll be able to meet and chat with local wine-growers in a plain and authentic fashion and be informed about: a search for quality, respect of the environment and the countryside, a sense of family and village solidarity, an awareness about local history, ...

Over a glass of wine, let yourself get carried away by their stories: the Cathar resistance, the colossal construction of the Canal du Midi, the 1907 events!

All of this peppered with the sometimes raw yet nevertheless invariably poetic accent of our lovely Occitan language ... to indulge in a moment of History you are allowed to enjoy without restraint.

But it’s also an invitation to visit our exceptional sites:

the ‘vertigo citadels’ of Peyrepertuse and Quéribus,

the abbey and village of Lagrasse,

the Aguilar,

Termes and Villerouge-Termenès castles.

You might extend this experience by discovering our art of living : do stay in one of the charming lodgings at the wine-grower’s estates or in the heart of the vineyard, and savour a cuisine situated between tradition and the present-day, with 3 star chef Gilles Goujon at the cutting edge who has managed to exalt our local products and wines.

Raise your spirit and sharpen your senses while going for an accompanied hike, on foot or by bike, crossing our vineyard landscapes and exploring the local secrets, or indulge in the festive character of our villages in one of its many magnificent events.

The Key Figures

The region is made up of 89 outstanding tourist services:

26 wine cellars among which the Terroirs du Vertige, with its Vin Patrimoine (‘Heritage Wine’) tasting experience, or how history is served with the colours and flavours of our vineyards

35 lodgings counting many gîtes and family-run guest-houses, at our wine-growers’ estates, where convivial shared moments are on the agenda